lookbib(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, lookbib is the illumos lookbib at /usr/bin/lookbib. It takes a single database argument and prompts with `>` for keywords. The bundle has no Linux lookbib text, so the Linux comparison cannot be made from it, and no BSD counterpart pages are supplied.
The manual pages
- Solnix: lookbib(1) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - Linux: lookbib(1) groff-1.24.2
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos lookbib at /usr/bin/lookbib. No other variants are shipped. The Linux page (groff 1.24.2) is named as a counterpart, but its text is missing from the bundle (the section holds only an error message), so no Linux option or behaviour is stated here.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux page text unavailable | The bundle's Linux lookbib(1) section contains no manual text, so no flag, prompt, index or exit-status difference between Solnix and Linux groff can be stated. Check the groff 1.24.2 lookbib(1) page directly. Source: Bundle LINUX: lookbib(1) section (no page text); header COUNTERPART linux: lookbib(1) [Linux (groff-1.24.2)] |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | no BSD counterpart supplied | The bundle lists no FreeBSD, OpenBSD or NetBSD lookbib page. The manual text gives no basis to say whether those systems ship lookbib or how it behaves. Source: Bundle header (only a linux COUNTERPART line) |
| all four | invocation | Solnix lookbib takes exactly one argument, database, with no options. It reads keywords typed after the `>` prompt on the terminal and returns records containing all of them. If nothing matches, it prints only another `>` prompt. Source: Solnix lookbib(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION |
| all four | index and fallback .ig file | Solnix lookbib uses the .i[abc] index made by indxbib. If those files are missing, it looks for a reference file of the same name without suffixes and creates a .ig file for fgrep. That is slower and cannot cover multiple reference files. Source: Solnix lookbib(1) DESCRIPTION |
| all four | multiple databases | To search several databases with a common index made by indxbib, pass only the first argument given to indxbib to lookbib. Source: Solnix lookbib(1) DESCRIPTION |
Standards
- POSIX: lookbib is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not script lookbib: it is interactive, reading keywords at a `>` prompt. Check on each target system that it exists and how it is invoked before relying on it.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.